A Timeless Love
by MadameLCullen
Summary: Bella Swan moves to Chicago with her parents when her father retires. They buy an old Victorian townhouse that hasn't been occupied in a hundred years. When Bella starts to hear things go bump in the night she thinks she's crazy. But is she?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

_Moving In _

I lugged my suitcase off of the belt and put it on the trolley. We had just flown from California to Chicago. It was quite a long flight and I was worn out. We still had a half-hour drive to our new house. Perhaps I could sleep in the car…

Renee, Charlie and I decided to move to Chicago after he retired. He used to be the Chief of Police in Jacksonville, but he got shot on the job and couldn't work anymore. Renee wanted a change. Her new phase was "Living Healthily" which meant staying out of the sun and eating salad for the rest of our days. Luckily, she'd move on to something new in a couple of weeks.

We bought an old townhouse in the suburbs. It had a lovely Victorian feel to it. It had a luscious green lawn out front with pretty hanging baskets. It even had a porch and a swing. Although the swing looked quite old and rickety. I could just imagine myself snuggled up on it with a blanket and a good Austen book.

I looked out of the window at the monotonous grey blur outside. I sighed, I hoped we'd get there soon so that I could unpack and have a nap. We finally arrived at the house and I took a minute to admire it. It looked much grander in person. It definitely used to belong to some rich family. Although it had been empty for a while, so the dust had collected. The hall inside had a lovely deep oak wooden floor and a large staircase in the middle. Along each side of the hall were three doors. I would explore those later.

I stumbled up the staircase, dragging my heavy baggage behind me. I chose my room, the one furthest from the stairs, but it had the best view of a park across the street. The bed and large furniture was already there, so I started to unpack.

I managed to fit my thick winter clothes into the small wardrobe. My books were placed on the bookshelf neatly and my little trinkets were put up onto the shelf. I looked at the little cactus I had brought along as I placed it in the middle of the shelf. I would miss Jacksonville. After all, it had been my home for most of my life. The lack of sun would be a shock at first, but I would get used to it.

I quickly took off my shoes and climbed into bed, exhausted from the long journey. I quickly fell into a deep slumber.

I was in bed when I heard a noise. Like someone moving around in the room. I opened my eyes to find nothing there. That was strange. I thought for sure I had heard something. It was probably just my imagination. It was an old house after all, it was bound to make some noises. I reluctantly got up and headed downstairs to find my parents.

I opened the first door that was a living room. All the furniture was there and the TV was already set up. Charlie was lying awkwardly in his armchair the remote hanging from his limp hand. I pulled it out carefully and switched off the TV before quietly shutting the door.

I pulled open the next door to find the dining room. It was very impressive with it's 10 chairs along a dark wood table. The chandelier hanging from above created rainbows on the cream walls. The room was otherwise empty. The previous owners must have liked to host dinner parties. My mother would never fill that table with guests.

The next room was the kitchen. It was quite modern compared to the rest of the house. The black tiles on the floor, green walls and light wood cupboards made it look clean and fresh. At the stove was my mother. Making another one of her concoctions she calls food.

"Hey mom, what're you making?" I asked, peaking over her shoulder at the thick brown mess in the pan.

"This," she gestured to the pan "is some beef stew"

"Yum," I replied unenthusiastically.

We all sat round the dining table trying to eat the meal my mother had prepared. I quickly spat my mouthful into a tissue when my mother wasn't looking.

"How is it?" She asked me.

"It's great!" I lied, giving her a fake smile while trying not to gag on the piece of meat in my mouth.

"I've enrolled you in the local high school Bella. Should be able to start next week they said" my father said between mouthfuls. Guess he liked Renee's cooking.

"Cool. Thanks." I replied. I wasn't looking forward to school. I had left all my friends behind in Jacksonville and was worried I wouldn't be able to fit in here.

"I'm full. I think I'll go explore a bit more" I said; getting up from the table and putting my plate out the kitchen.

I discovered that the house had a library. Rows and rows of books filled the walls and in the middle were two comfy looking chairs. I quickly looked over the books. There were definitely some that interested me. I would come back tomorrow when I had more time I decided.

The one room was a sun room that had patio doors that led out to the back garden. Nothing too interesting. The last room, was a music room. A lovely, black baby grand piano stood proudly in the middle of the room. It had a fine layer of dust over the top which I brushed away with my hand. I sat down on the bench and run my fingers along the keys. I have always wanted to learn to play, but I never had the chance. Perhaps, I could take lessons now we had a piano. I heard a sound from behind me, like someone breathing. I quickly turned around and fell off the bench. When I looked up, there was just an empty space staring back at me.

Perhaps this move was making me go crazy?

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R Please x<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

_Researching Theories_

I sighed. I had been in the local library for hours. Looking at all different books from Supernatural beings to Spirits. I picked up a book called 'Ghosts - Terminology And Typology" Well, here goes nothing. I opened up the book to the first page and began to read aloud to myself.

"_In traditional belief, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely: The mode of manifestation can range from an invisible presence to translucent or wispy shapes, to realistic, life-like visions. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in spiritism as a séance."_

I read on, it was as close as I could get to what seemed to be in our house.

"_The belief in manifestations of the spirits of the dead is widespread, dating back to animism or ancestor worship in pre-literate cultures. Certain religious practices—funeral rites, exorcisms, and some practices of spiritualism and ritual magic—are specifically designed to appease the spirits of the dead. Ghosts are generally described as solitary essences that haunt particular locations, objects, or people they were associated with in life, though stories of phantom armies, ghost trains, phantom ships, and even ghost animals have also been recounted."_

Well, now we were getting somewhere. I had been sleeping restlessly recently. It had been two weeks since we had moved in and I had been getting strange feelings. Like, someone was watching me or I'd hear a noise like someone whispering…but I could never work out what they were saying. Being honest, I was a little bit freaked out and ever since, I have refused to sleep in my bedroom (that's where the encounters were worse) I had moved some of my things into one of the spare bedrooms until I could figure out what was happening.

I skipped to page 89. 'Haunted Houses- Myth Or Fact?' was in bold on the top of the page. It read :

"_A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property. Supernatural activity inside homes is said to be mainly associated with violent or tragic events in the building's past such as murder, accidental death, or suicide._

_In 2005, Gallup polls conducted in three countries—the United States, Canada, and Great Britain—showed that more people believe in haunted houses than any of the other paranormal items tested, with 37% of Americans, 28% of Canadians, and 40% of Britons believing."_

I guess I was one of the 37% then. If what it said in the book was true, and a ghost was haunting my house, I needed to find out about any deaths that happened there. I decided to look on the internet when I got home. It would be easier that way anyhow.

I checked the book out of the library (in case I needed it later), crammed it into my already full bag and set out into the wintry weather of Chicago. It was almost December, snow was forecast for tomorrow. I was hoping it didn't. I had never experienced snow myself, living in Jacksonville all my life didn't give me an opportunity. I was hoping I wouldn't have to experience it. I hated anything cold or wet.

I clutched my jacket further round myself as I walked through the town. The harsh wind bit at my face; making my cheeks red. My nose started to run and I quickly wiped it in my sleeve. I'd have to wash that later. I stopped in the bakery on the way home. The warmth from the ovens made me shiver. I was chilled to my core. I paid for my muffin and ventured back out into the cold.

I hurried home, in want of a warm bath and a hot cocoa to go with my muffin. Yum. I turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door. It made an eerie creaking noise, which gave me chills. I had managed to push the possible-ghost out of my head for a while. But, returning here pushed to the front of my mind. I tried to shake it off.

I booted up my laptop and switched the TV on, sinking down into the sofa. I typed in my address, and death into Google and waited to see what came up. I looked over the sites and clicked on the one that looked most promising.

"_Many deaths in Chicago due to Spanish Influenza, 1918. _

_In 1918, the Spanish Flu epidemic hit and devastated the whole country. Chicago was hit in the summer, when children were at home and families were visiting, meaning more people died. Chicago lost more than half it's population. One of the most famous families, the Masens, were found dead in their home. Mr Masen was a famous lawyer, very successful and highly respected within the community. They lived in an extravagant home in the small town of Paris. Mr Masen, his wife and son, Master Edward Masen, heir to the Masen company, were all found dead by a neighbour in the month of May 1918..."_

I needed to read no further than that. I knew exactly which house in Paris they were found. I was living in the exact same one. It was upsetting to think about all those people dying, especially because of an awful illness like that. I made my way to the kitchen, still pondering what I had just read.

I boiled the kettle to make my cocoa while waiting for the bath to run. I wonder if it was one of the Masens that were trying to communicate? I took a sip of my drink and burnt my tongue…shit, that was hot! I carried it upstairs and placed it next to the bath. I'd wait for it to cool down slightly.

I shrugged off my jacket and pulled off my clothes before sinking into the tub. I could feel my toes tingling and coming back to life. It was a wonderful feeling. I lathered my hair and rinsed. Enjoying the relaxation of a bubble bath. My life had been so hectic recently, it felt like I hadn't really had time for myself.

I froze when I felt a sudden chill in the air. I reluctantly turned to look towards the door. I shrieked when I saw two bright, green eyes staring back at me.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R :) x<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3 <span>

_Encounters Of A Supernatural Kind_

I threw my hands up to cover my body. I could feel the blush scorching my cheeks. After all, it wasn't every day you have a handsome boy walk in on your bath is it? I could feel his gaze on my face. I looked up into his eyes. They were mesmerising. Deeply filled with so many emotions it was hard to identify even one. He had sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw. His soft, pink lips were pulled down into a frown, making him look brooding. His hair was in a disarray, it looked as though he had been running his hands through it repeatedly. Habit, perhaps? He looked like Adonis or some other unbelievably handsome God.

"W-Who are you?" I stuttered. Slightly afraid of how this stranger had got into the house. I was alone, my mother and father had gone to visit family for a couple of days. I knew that if this man wanted to kill me, there would be nothing to prevent him. I shrunk back when he stepped forward, almost trying to push through the wall into another room.

"My name is Master Edward Anthony Masen, Miss…It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." His crooked smile and twinkling eyes like two emeralds entranced me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Edward. Can you tell me why your in my house?" I asked calmly. I could feel my heart beating through my chest, I was both embarrassed by the situation and frightened.

"I'm afraid you must be confused. This is my father's house. You may know him? He owns the company in town? Mr Edward Masen Senior?" I was suddenly reminded of the article I read earlier in the day. It had mentioned a Mr Masen dying from Spanish Flu.

"Edward, may I ask….what year do you think this is?"

"Pardon?" he asked. His expression growing confused.

"What is today's date?" I asked again, explaining my question.

"It's 24th May 1918" He stated as if it was obvious.

That was the last thing I heard before the darkness overcome me.

When I finally awoke, I was back in my bed, a towel wrapped around me and the blankets thrown over me. How did I get back in here? It all came flooding back to me suddenly. I had finally seen the Ghost that had been bothering me. Edward, I think his name was. And, he had been haunting this house for over 100 years! How lonely he must have been. I quickly scanned the room, hoping he'd be here and we could talk some more, but he wasn't.

I pulled off the blankets and walked over to my dresser, pulling out one of the drawers. I selected some jeans a simple blue t-shirt and underwear and dropped my towel. I turned around to place the clothes on my bed, only to be met with the his green eyes… really? Twice in one day he happened to show up when I'm naked? The gods must really hate me right now!

"Can you turn around, or shut your eyes…or something?" I shrieked.

"My apologies, Miss. I promise you, I do not choose to see you only when your in a state of undress," he quickly spun around so that I could change.

"Yes, well can you at least warn me or something next time when you show up? _Before_ I take my clothes off?" I asked him. The blush was staining my cheeks bright red.

"Of course, Miss" he replied politely.

"Oh, by the way, you can call me Bella. That 'Miss' crap makes me feel like I'm older than you or something"

"Well, where I come from, it's the way a gentleman addresses a lady, _Bella_,"

"Well, you're not in Kansas anymore Edward," I joked. I suppose it was totally different now in the 21st Century than it was back then in the early 1900s.

"What?" he questioned. I could hear the confusion in his voice. I guess he didn't get the reference. The film was too modern. I wonder if they even had films when he was alive? I'd have to add that to the list of questions I wanted to ask him.

"I'm finished, you can turn back around now" I told him.

"What exactly is it you are wearing, Mi-Sorry, Bella? That is definitely some strange fashion. Is it something new from France?" he asked with genuine bewilderment and curiosity.

"No, it's what most people wear now, they're called jeans" I explained and held back my giggle. It was slightly funny having to explain things that seemed so obvious to me.

"Oh, and what exactly is that big, black thing?" he asked. Gesturing towards the TV that was balanced on top of my dresser.

He was interested in learning about everything. This was going to take a while…

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R Please :) x<strong>


End file.
